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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25911556">All the Strange Things</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansyFresh/pseuds/SansyFresh'>SansyFresh</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>the way things are [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Undertale (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Death, Edge making promises he cant keep, Hunger Games AU, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No Major Character Death, Rus is a sad boy, Talk about death, hard angst, this is just sad times</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:35:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>593</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25911556</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansyFresh/pseuds/SansyFresh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rus was more or less in shock when his name was said across the loud speakers, the entire crowd looking around to find him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Papyrus/Papyrus (Undertale)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>the way things are [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624378</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>All the Strange Things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hey look at that, more of this sad ass AU lol</p><p>mind the tags, there is a LOT of talk about death and murder in this</p><p>enjoy!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Rus had been chosen, it hadn’t felt real. He had lined up with all the good little boys and girls, monsters all bitter and yet resigned to something they had no control over. He’d watched as the district representative dug through the glass balls, first pulling out the poor girl’s name. She’d looked terrified, walking up to the podium with her hands tightly clutched together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t seen her since physically, but he thought she was one of the Dogi. Not that it mattered now, he’d seen her picture high in the sky on the second night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But when it’d come time for the boys’ pick, he’d felt something like a cold chill go down his spine when the paper was plucked from the bottom of the bowl, carefully unfolded, and his own name rang out in the crowd of monsters. He hadn’t even moved at first, just so in shock, until the peacekeeper nearest to him started moving toward him with a purpose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d made his way up to the podium, hands slack at his sides, and he’d cried as they congratulated him on the glorious opportunity he’d been given.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought he saw the dogi girl crying too, but he’d been whisked away after that so quickly that he really only remembered bits and pieces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The one thing that stuck out in his mind was Blue, coming up to him for the final time in the tiny room they’d given them to say goodbye in, holding him close and telling him that no matter what, Blue believed in him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Big words for someone that had no idea what Rus was apparently willing to do in the name of survival. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he’d held onto those words, keeping them in his soul, deep where he hadn’t yet been tainted by death and the blood on his hands, following Edge through the woods and past a creek that was calling his name to wash all the dust out of his joints.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They didn’t stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They never stopped, barred Rus wheezing because his lungs were shit and he’d never been that much of a physical worker, what with the sickness that often cropped up. His worst fear at this point was that he’d come down with something in the middle of the night, Edge waking up to him being a feverish, shivering mess.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kind thing to do at that point would be to kill him, rather than leave him for someone else to finish off. At least Edge would do it cleanly. Quickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rus was grateful to know that if it came down to it, Edge would do him the service of a quick death. He couldn’t even give that assurance in return, but Edge had promised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d been alone for the first time, counting the canons, watching the faces in the night sky, and Edge had gently put his hand on Rus’ shoulder, ignoring his flinch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rus had been busy trying to pick the dust from his fingers, Edge’s other hand coming up to stop him before he could pick to the marrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If the time comes… and it means your death… I will kill you before anyone else has the chance to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d looked so serious, not oblivious to Rus’ horror, not unkind, but unyielding all the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’d taken a moment for the actual sentiment to come through, but once it did, Rus nodded, staring back down at his hands. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sincerely hoped it never came down to that. But when did he ever get what he wanted.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>if you enjoyed, consider leaving a comment!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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